Record '12 Profits Allow Packers To Accomplish Financial Goals, Focus More On Football

Making Aaron Rodgers the highest-paid player in the NFL was the Packers' priority

Packers President & CEO Mark Murphy and the team have been able to "accomplish all of their goals" after tallying a record $43M profit in '12 along with $64M raised in a recent stock sale, according to Paul Imig of FOX SPORTS WISCONSIN. The "most important" goal was to have enough money to make QB Aaron Rodgers the "highest-paid player in NFL history." The Packers also gave a $66M extension to LB Clay Matthews. Murphy said, "We want all decisions to be football decisions, not financial decisions. I think making sure we have the resources available (is important) so they can make decisions based strictly on football reasons." Imig noted without the "huge profit margin last year, Murphy still wouldn't have been too concerned about the team's financial flexibility to dish out such huge sums of cash." But for a team owned by the community that "doesn't have a rich Jerry Jones type of owner in place, it does add increased challenges when planning how to spend tens of millions of dollars in a short period of time." The Packers are also "midway through" a four-year, $286.5M Lambeau Field expansion project. Though Murphy has been able to "check off several major items from his agenda recently, he wants to make sure that he and his staff are looking for more ways to keep improving different aspects of the franchise." Murphy: "You always have to remain vigilant in making sure you're doing everything you can, so that, number one, the fans have a great experience and that we remain competitive. I think the next thing where you'll start to see some changes is in the whole concept of Titletown; some development around the stadium" (FOXSPORTSWISCONSIN.com, 5/14).

DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK: Murphy during the team's annual Tailgate Tour said the Packers want retired QB Brett Favre "back in the family." Murphy last year said that the team would "like to retire" Favre's No. 4 jersey in the future. However, FOX SPORTS WISCONSIN's Imig noted Favre at the time "had no real connections with the Packers." Murphy: "It's got to be the right time for him and us. That (retiring Favre's jersey soon) will happen" (FOXSPORTSWISCONSIN.com, 5/14).